Dovre Line

Dovre Line
Dovrebanen at Kvam Station
Overview
Type	Railway
Termini	Oslo S Trondheim S
Stations	25
Operation
Opened	1921
Owner	Norwegian National Rail Administration
Operator(s)	Norges Statsbaner CargoNet
Rolling stock	BM73, El 18
Technical
Line length	553 km (344 mi)
No. of tracks	Single
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification	15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC
Route map Legend Meråker Line Trondheim Central Station Skansen Bridge Skansen Station Nidareid Tunnel Marienborg Station Stavne–Leangen Line Stavne Hoem Tunnel Selsbakk Station Selsbakk Tunnel Lerbroelva Bridge Heimdal Station HegstadClosed 1987 KvammenClosed 1987 Melhus Melhus Station Kvål Station Ler Station Lundesokna bridge Lundamo Station GulfossClosed 1993 Gulfossen Bridge Hovin Station Støren Røros Line Basmoen Snøan Soknedal Garli Thamshavn Line Berkåk Station Ulsberg Orkla Bridge Orkla Tunnel GranholtetClosed 1951 IndsetveienClosed 1966 GisnaClosed 1966 Byna Bridge Fagerhaug MyrplassClosed 1966 RønningenClosed 1951 GaråClosed 1966 Oppdal Station HevleClosed 1966 Driva Holan Kolstad Tunnel Drivstua Driva Øilien Tunnel Klemma Tunnel Kleivane Tunnel Stølan Tunnel Hestekrubben Tunnel Grimsdal Tunnel Nystubekk Tunnel Høgsnyta Tunnel Gammelhullet Tunnel Kongsvoll Station Svoni Point of highest elevation1024.4 m Hjerkinn Station Gjeitberget Tunnel Vålåsjø Fokstua Grønbogen Tunnel Rauma Line Dombås Tunnel Dombås Station Dovre Station Tallerås Bridge Brennhaug Sel Otta Station Sjoa Kvam Station Vinstra Station Harpefoss Hundtorp Ringebu Station Kvitfjell Fåvang Losna Tretten Øyer Hafjell Hunderfossen Station Hunder Fåberg Hovemoen Lillehammer Station Bergseng Brøttum Ring Moelv Station Ringsaker Rudshøgda Veldre Brumunddal Station Jessnes Nordvika Hamar Station Røros Line Akersvika Ottestad Stange Station SørliTimber freight terminal Steinsrud Tangen Station Skaberud Espa Strandlykkja SkrårudClosed 1980 Morskogen KorslundClosed 1980 ØrbekkClosed 1980 Minnesund Bridge Minnesund BunesClosed 1980 DokknesClosed 1967 Eidsvoll Station Trunk Line Gardermoen Line

The Dovre Line (Norwegian: Dovrebanen) is the main line of the Norwegian railway system between Oslo and Trondheim. The 64 km section south of Eidsvoll has been replaced by the Gardermoen Line, the only high-speed line in the country. The line between Eidsvoll and Dombås is from old times the Eidsvoll–Dombås Line. The line from Støren to Trondheim is called the Støren Line. The entire line from Oslo to Trondheim is 553 km. It is a more heavily traveled line than the older Røros Line and is electrified. Before electrification, the Dovre Line was served by some of Norway's largest steam locomotives, the 2-8-4 NSB Class 49 "Dovregubben" ("Dovre Giant").

Compared to the Røros Line, the Dovre Line takes a more westerly course running through the town of Lillehammer and over the mountainous stretches of Dovre, before merging with the Røros Line again at Støren. There is one branch line, the Rauma Line which leaves the Dovre Line at Dombås.

Service

The Norwegian State Railways is the sole operator of passenger services on the Dovre Line. In each direction they operate four express trains between Oslo and Trondheim, of which two daily departures with the tilting Class 73 units, offering travel times down to 6:37, with departures in the morning and afternoon. There is also a locomotive-hauled afternoon train and a night train with sleeper cars. In addition there is a morning service from Dombås to Oslo. At Dombås there is correspondence with Møre og Romsdal via the Rauma Line.

The southern part of the line has hourly departures with InterCity Express trains from Lillehammer to Oslo. In the northern end, the Dovre Line is served by the Trøndelag Commuter Rail.

Accidents

The line was completed and officially opened on 17 September 1921. The inauguration ended on a tragic note when the train returning from the celebrations collided just after leaving TrondheimT in the Nidareid train disaster the next day. The worst Norwegian railway disaster in peacetime also happened on the Dovre Line on 22 February 1975 when two trains collided one kilometre north of Tretten station, killing 27 people and wounding 25. There were approximately 800 people on the two trains.

Future plans

The government has plans for building double track on the section between Eidsvold and Doknes and Minnesund–Kleverud–Steinsrud between 2010 and 2019, to increase the speed and capacity on the today very crowded section between Eidsvold and Hamar. There are also plans for new crossing sections and expand existing crossing sections to at least 600 meters. For a later introduction there are plans of double track all the way between Eidsvold and Hamar. These plan have no timeplan, but are included in the long-term plan until year 2040.

External links

• Jernbaneverket's list of stations on the Dovre line

(note: most trains do not stop at the smaller stations)